Recently, at the Tokyo Motor Show, attendees were able to take the shiny new cars they ogled for a virtual spin. Some of the new cars, like those unveiled by Nissan and Subaru, had counterparts in a special version of the PlayStation 3 driving simulation title Gran Turismo.

The virtual test drive, as reported by AFP, was made possible through a partnership between car makers and Sony Computer Entertainment, with the aim of giving an impression of how the cars handle, and how they consume fuel. It seems that Japanese automakers face a challenge when it comes to domestic sales, so the partnership, which will feature other cars by Toyota, Mitsubishi and Mazda in the official version of Gran Turismo 5, is an attempt to raise interest among young people in car brands.

Sony's Yoshiaki Oinuma told the AFP, "We hope the real and the virtual worlds will cross over," in regards to the partnership, which is particularly a sensible move on the part of car makers. There is huge interest among young Asians in online worlds and MMOs, and even here in the West, where marketers are realizing that virtual worlds can allow them long-sought access to a young, tech-savvy market. Racing, sporting, and other specific online worlds have begun to crop up a lot recently, and offer natural branding opportunities, the same way these events do in the real world.

Added Oinuma, "We hope by playing the game children will realize how exciting cars are and think 'I will definitely drive this car when I reach 18'."

[Via AFP]